Just before I proceed, may I welcome the Chief Whip back in the House. You know that she was on sick leave for some time. [Applause.] Welcome, Chief Whip. We have been missing you and we are happy that you are healthy, back and running again. Thank you very much for coming back.
Chairperson, Minister, colleagues, it is International Women's Day and it is to be celebrated for there are many women who have fought for equal rights for women. Yes, women are allowed to vote, women now serve in Parliament - even in our country, where we have a very tragic history. We celebrate the fact that we can all vote and we do not have pass books to limit our movements.
Women should not be given equal rights but equal and open opportunities and we should not have token positions on boards and councils and in Parliament because of gender. Incidentally, when I wrote the speech, I wrote "sex" and I thought that was a bit much! Equal opportunities and access to education, training, science and technology - what does a pathway to decent work for women mean if there is no access to the former?
Yes, we celebrate a good many achievements of many women around the world who took their opportunities, but until we get the basics of basic education right in South Africa there is no equal access to education, science and technology - not for anybody, let alone our young ladies and women. That access is the only escape out of poverty.
Today shall be a call for all of us in Parliament to take cognisance of our duty to ensure that equal and open opportunities are created for all the people, including our young women, from the day they enter their first grade at school.
I want to remind you that in the Eastern Cape, our education department is in scandalous turmoil, with an overspent budget of R1,9 billion ... [Interjections.] ... yet there is underspend on conditional grants of R743 million. We also have problems in the district where Mrs Pankie Sizani has 99 ghost teachers in ghost schools in the early childhood development unit. We have 5 000 double-parked teachers who do not teach but 6 000 temporary teachers who need to be employed because they have been teaching children in the place of other teachers for two years. [Interjections.]
Chairperson, on a point of order: Can the speaker please speak to the issues of international women, not national. National Women's Day is still coming.
Can we try to stick to the subject for the debate? Continue, Mrs van Lingen.
Chairperson, can you tell me how much time I have left?
I am saying you can continue.
Thank you, Chairperson. So, without the proper basic education that we need, it's problematic to say that our people and our women in South Africa will have open and equal opportunities to develop themselves.
Recently - in February - Jonathan Jansen said that he had the statement of results for the national senior certificate of a young lady who demanded to study at a university. She had achieved less than 50% and had no subjects that could give her the credits to enter a university... [Interjections.]
Your time has expired, hon member.
Can I say something in closing? [Interjections.]
Order, hon members! Just round off quickly for a second.
Thank you, sir. The candidate was under the impression that she qualified for tertiary education and because she had been misled all her school career, she could not. We need to address that issue. It is our duty as Members of Parliament. Without access to decent education, there are no equal opportunities.
Chairperson, members of the House and distinguished guests: Malibongwe [Let it be praised]!
HON MEMBERS: Igama lamakhosikazi! [The name of women!]
We are gathered here today to advance the objectives of International Women's Day, which first emerged from the activities of labour movements at the turn of the 20th century in North America and across Europe.
This is a day when women are recognised for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural or economic. It is an occasion for looking back on the struggles and accomplishments and, more importantly, for looking ahead to the untapped potential of future generations of women and the opportunities that await them. In South Africa, through the revolutionary work of the late Charlotte Maxeke, this day becomes important in our calendar and advances the cause of women.
As the ANC, we want to join the global community, particularly the women of the world, in commemorating this year's International Women's Day. The theme accords the global community and our nation the opportunity to affirm our crucial commitment to equality, freedom and the advancement of women.
The ANC wants to acknowledge that the landscape for women's rights has dramatically changed over the past two decades and that in many countries across the world the fight for gender equality, particularly ensuring that women and men enjoy equal rights, is no longer as much about women's legal status but more about the socioeconomic conditions that women face in their daily lives.
We would like to take this opportunity to salute and pay tribute to the many women and civil society organisations across the globe for their courageous and resolute fight for gender equality. As we commemorate International Women's Day this year, the people of North Africa are in protest and struggle to democratise their countries and protect their national sovereignty. No doubt these developments have claimed hundreds of lives and left many women and children in even more desperate conditions of destitution, hunger, homelessness and violence. We want to take this opportunity to affirm our continued support for the people of the Arab world, in particular women, as they undertake the daunting task of reclaiming and rebuilding their lives.
We want to call on agencies such as the United Nations and on government leaders, including the government of our country, to expand their focus in prioritising the provision of aid and assistance to women and children when it is required.
We also want to take this opportunity to express our solidarity with the women of all conflict-ridden regions of the world. As much as we want to acknowledge that our nation has more enormous progress to make in dismantling discriminatory legislation, policies and practices that undermine and attack the dignity and rights of women, we are also concerned that we have not moved decisively in advancing the objectives of this day. We want to see more resolute political will and firmer commitment to equal access to education and training for women, as well as decent work.
As much as we as a country are proud of ourselves for being among the 10 nations of the world with the highest representation of women in Parliament and in the executive, we are under no illusion that the daunting challenges that lie ahead are not numerous. We are also aware that the battle for gender equality has shifted towards putting together all our efforts to ensure that women genuinely experience a better quality of life and equality in all aspects of their lives.
We continue to be concerned by the fact that despite the rights espoused by our Constitution and other pieces of ground-breaking legislation, some women in South Africa have not yet enjoyed their rights due to the lack of monitoring and implementation thereof. Similarly, in some parts of the world, women are marginalised.
South Africa is committed to advancing the rights of women and children and people with disabilities and the struggle for decent work. We have made tremendous progress in the real meaning of equality, despite the fact that women are still trapped in poverty and unemployment.
In the light of globalisation, cross-border movement and the possibilities for sex trafficking and the trafficking of humans and children seem to be on the rise internationally. In South Africa women continue to be vulnerable to being prostituted by male-dominated ranks. Prostitution is a cornerstone of the system of inequality between the sexes.
In some rural areas and sections of provinces such as the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, schoolgirls are subjected to forced marriages in the name of tradition. We must distinguish between our cultural traditional practices and crime in the form of child trafficking and abduction, and our police must arrest the perpetrators of such crimes.
The achievement of gender equality will only be realised through leadership and commitment from both men and women. Article 13 of the Southern African Development Community protocol commits all of us to ensuring the inclusion of men in all gender-related activities, including gender training and community mobilisation. This means that all men and women bear the responsibility of combating the abuse of the human rights of women and children and we must support initiatives where men are also actively involved in the efforts of women, children and people with disabilities.
We have a very clear commitment to gender equality at the national and regional level. We must not give up pursuing our goal of closing the gap between the daily experiences of women in South Africa and the aspirations expressed in our Constitution. As the ANC, we want to affirm our commitment to remain at the forefront of the struggle to address and improve the condition of women in our country and enhance solidarity with international struggles.
We know that emancipation of women in our country and the world is incomplete without the eradication of poverty. We therefore call on this House to embrace the theme put forward by the United Nations this year, namely that all of us have to fight for equal access to education, training, science and technology as the pathway to decent work for women.
In conclusion, we need to focus on the needs of women, children and people with disabilities and mount local, regional and international campaigns to advance the objectives of this day. It is through mass-driven and socioeconomic transformation that we can transform gender relations and dismantle patriarchal power structures within the world system. This requires a co-ordinated struggle led by the international women's movement. Malibongwe! [Let it be praised!] I thank you.
Hon Chairperson, today we are joining women's organisations and governments around the world to observe International Women's Day. Annually on 8 March, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate the economic, political and social achievements of women. But what does International Women's Day mean to girls in the rural and farm areas of South Africa who cannot attend or finish school because they have to labour in the house or are sexually harassed and humiliated by their teachers?
As we celebrate this day under the theme: "Equal access to education, training and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women", we need to diligently remind ourselves of the continued vigilance and action required to ensure that women's equality is gained and maintained in all aspects of life.
Around the world, girls and women continue to lack economic opportunity and adequate education because they are pushed into early marriage or suffer sexual violence and many forms of abuse. Cope would like to remind the younger generation of women, particularly in South Africa, that all the battles have not been won for women. They must be aware of the durability and ingrained complexity of patriarchy in our society. They must understand and strive to block the social forces that cause the entrapment of the female kind.
Educated women in the social environment are given limited opportunities. In South Africa we do have women in boardrooms. In Parliament, we have nearly 45% of women in office, which exceeds the Beijing Platform for Action target of 30%. Unfortunately, the fact is that women in South Africa and Africa in particular continue to be underrepresented in science and technology. At present, women are only 15% of those who work in the fields of science in Africa. Only 1% of them are in leadership positions. In addition, women in South Africa have not made the same inroads in engineering as they have in health sciences.
In South Africa, two thirds of the enrolments and graduations in the natural sciences and engineering are men, and almost half the graduations and enrolments in the health sciences are women. While women constitute more than half of all university undergraduate enrolment in science, engineering and technology courses - actually women constituted 53% to 58% in 2001 - fewer women enrolled in Master's degrees and doctoral levels of study. In 2001, they constituted 42%.
On the research and teaching front, the number of women working in universities and technical colleges is still low. It rose from 30% of the workforce in 1992 to 40% in 2001. However, the highest ranks are still dominated by men. Only 7% of women become professors, compared to 26% of men.
In 2002, just two women attained the National Research Foundation's top accolade of an A-rating, compared to 42 men. The ratings enhance a scientist's ability to secure research grants and top jobs. Women must be able to contribute equally to the development of science, technology and innovation, which will enhance economic growth, job creation and general societal wellbeing. That will ensure that the needs of both women and men are met in new products and applications.
For this to be achieved, girl-children should have access to education and training. In recent years, significant progress has been achieved in women and girls ... [Time expired.]
Hon member, your time has expired. Please finish that sentence.
Thank you, Chairperson, but it's okay.
Igama lamakhosikazi, ngaphandle kwele DA. [Praise the name of women, except for the DA.] Chairperson, I really have to express my disappointment at the speaker from the DA. It is International Women's Day. You would expect that, at least on this day, we can be magnanimous as women and be able to say, in one voice, what it is that all of us as women politicians can do for women. However, I think the obsession around "the ANC this" and "the ANC that" enslaves them and they are unable to move beyond that.
I think it is always a problem with an organisation that is not founded on solid principles, like the ANC, whose founding principles include a human rights culture, which informs its policies of nonsexism and nonracialism. If you don't have that foundation, I am sure you have no basis to move from.
This is quite clear, even from their performance. Here we have an organisation that governs the only province with an executive that has no women and that appoints a woman only out of expedience because they are a dying party. They want to salvage it and try and win over the people. So it is not even on principle that the woman got into that executive. It means that if that party was led by a man, we would not have a woman in that executive. That is their track record and I think it is pathetic and quite problematic.
I'm sorry, Minister. It seems there is a point of order. Hon Lees?
Chair, I raise a point of order which was raised by the Chief Whip in terms of hon Van Lingen adhering to the subject of the debate. I request that you rule equally with the hon Minister, who is deviating from the topic of the debate.
My ruling to every one of you - it was a blanket ruling - was that all of us should stick to the subject of the debate as far as possible. I was very clear on that. Continue, hon Minister.
My apology, Chairperson. I was engaging with the debate, as tabled by the DA, to say gender must be on their list and when we speak as women, we have to be able to rise above petty party- political distinctions.
Having said that, it is indeed an honour for me to address this House on the occasion of International Women's Day, which is this year celebrated under the fitting theme: "Equal access to education, training and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women".
Moving from what the Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities has said, it is very clear that at home and abroad the question of gender equality and the emancipation of women remains unresolved and therefore begs serious attention. Everywhere in the world, as Gender Links has rightly pointed out, there is an informal and hidden economy made up mostly of women, for instance the unpaid economy, which is sustained by women to a very large extent.
Patriarchal powers - not the ANC - have kept many of the world's women predominantly outside the mainstream of economic life while relegating others to minor and junior roles in the economy. It is patriarchy, not any party, which excludes women - but officially, access has been opened for all women. So, it is patriarchal power, and that is why it is important for all women to join political parties, so that they can understand the dynamics of gender and what it is that continues to enslave women.
It is this untenable state of affairs that, at the UN Women launch celebration this year in February, prompted the former Chilean President and inaugural executive director of UN Women, Michelle Bachelet, to say:
The neglect of women's rights means the social and economic potential of half the population is underused. In order to tap this potential, we must open up spaces for women in political leadership, in science and technology ...
So it's quite sad when political leadership does not see that this is a national and international problem, not a party problem.
It is in this context that, as we celebrate the heroic struggles of the women of the world, we must also reflect on the global pathway we seek in building a new African and global agenda, in which decent work for women becomes a reality. Tapping into the untapped resources of women is therefore not only the right thing to do but is a political and economic imperative, calling upon us to be magnanimous sometimes, just for once, and put women first and rise above our petty differences.
Over the years, the unequal power relations of male-dominated societies have relegated women to this hidden economy and to the position in which they find themselves. It is this that gave rise to the decision to launch International Women's Day 100 years ago, better to expose the conditions under which women live and work. Women should be regarded as peacemakers, because the day was launched on the back of World War I and among the things that women were calling for was peace. It is very important, also, for women to remember that we are here because our predecessors stood for peace and even at that time, in 1910, women were calling for peace and an end to World War I.
The debate on International Women's Day is crucial for women in our country, in Africa and in the world. The evils of gender inequality and economic exclusion remain alive and well and as stubborn as a blemish on a white cloth.
In an article celebrating International Women's Day, Kanya D'Almeida recalls a milestone on the global path to the attainment of gender equity - this time on the eve of World War II. She stated:
In 1945, more than half a century ago, the signing of the United Nations Charter in San Francisco wrote women's equality into its canon, creating an indisputable commitment to gender equity in the post-World War global order.
Again, women united and rose above their differences, calling for peace and making sure there is a safer world for all of us.
And in June 1981 the people of this continent adopted the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, which called for "the elimination of every discrimination against women" and for "the protection of the rights of the women and the child as stipulated in international declarations and conventions".
As Kanya D'Almeida declared, 66 years since the signing of the UN Charter recognising equal rights for all, women continue to struggle far below the level of their male counterparts in every single aspect of human society - even where the ANC does not rule! Only 11 of the 192 heads of state in the world are women. One in three women in the world will experience rape or assault and while women perform more than two thirds of the world's work, they own only 1% of the means of production in the world.
Challenges facing women globally include occupational segregation, the gender wage gap, joblessness, abject poverty, gender-based violence, underrepresentation in political and economic decision-making processes, and racism. So, the problems of the Eastern Cape affect every child in that province; it is not gender based. Clearly, this state of affairs has necessitated, rightly so, the need for more concerted effort better to advance the agenda of gender equity and women's empowerment.
All is not lost. We are proud that we have cause to celebrate the great strides we have made as a country. We pride ourselves that we have already exceeded the Millennium Development Goals in terms of the right of the girl- child to have access to school. We are third in the world in terms of representation of women in Parliament. We can celebrate that our voices are being heard in our country and we have, through a progressive principled party, created a platform for women's voices to be heard.
In many democracies, including South Africa, we have a progressive legislative framework. We are signatories to a number of international agreements, such as the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The Minister has just reported that they have returned from New York - again, we are part of the global family and we are doing our level best to make sure that we indeed emancipate our women.
The country has 44% of women representation in the legislature. We have above 40% women Cabinet members and more than 40% of people elected for local government are women. Coming from the ruling party, I can boast again that as the women of the ruling party we are working very hard to get to 50%. I am not sure what those who cannot even make 1% are going to do.
We have an opportunity in May 2011 to advance gender parity in the local sphere and to do the groundwork for the creation of more decent jobs and more opportunities for the advancement of women. We know that the statistics on employment, as the member from Cope has said, show that more women are unemployed and men occupy more top management positions than women. I am not sure, coming from that party ...
After the unbanning of the ANC, the president of that party was one of the people who stood and fought us with regard to the quota for women. So they have a big battle - and my sympathies. Perhaps if the president who was "elected" under the tree succeeded the current president, it would be better. I have worked with the "tree" president, and he works quite well. He is very gender sensitive. So, depending on the verdict about who is the president, the "tree" president or the "non-tree" president ... [Laughter.]
Order, Minister. There is a point of order from the hon Bloem.
I just want to know who is "the other president" who was elected under a tree? [Laughter.] Can I please get the name of the person who was elected under a tree? Thank you very much.
That is not a point of order. Continue, hon Minister.
Chair, he knows very well who "the man of the tree" is. [Laughter.]
South Africa has welcomed the establishment of UN Women by the UN General Assembly, which must serve as the penultimate body on women's empowerment and gender equality. We believe that given the necessary support and co- operation by member states this new agency of the UN will help raise the profile of gender and women's issues on a global scale.
UN member states, including South Africa, have a duty to ensure that this UN entity for gender equality and the empowerment of women works effectively and takes to greater heights the global agenda of gender equity. This way, in the long run, through focused, strong leadership, we can and must turn the creation of decent work for women into a reality and thus improve the lives of millions of women and girls throughout the world. This way, we can transform the unpaid care economy and the informal and hidden economy that is affecting women.
The creation of UN Women, which began its work in January this year, shows the global commitment to a central focus on the goal of gender equality and emancipation of women in five areas of focus: expanding women's voice, leadership and participation - that is why I am calling on all women from different parties, saying that we need to be united on this one; ending violence against women; strengthening women's full participation in conflict resolution; enhancing women's economic empowerment; and ensuring that gender priorities are reflected in the different instruments and are being adhered to.
Finally, what we really need is gender mainstreaming in every single aspect of human society, coupled with accountability and the proven commitment we only see in a people-centred and nonsexist organisation such as the ANC, which has undertaken, as a starting point, to work tirelessly for 50/50 gender parity. I will be quite keen to hear from other parties what their stance is so that we can know what their targets are and where they are going from zero, because they are still at zero. [Laughter.] We would like to know what their plans are, because we have a plan for 50/50 parity.
Could you round off, Minister? Finish off because your time has expired.
Lastly, as we celebrate International Women's Day, we must not lose sight of the need to accelerate progress on our goals of gender equality and emancipation of women. No man shall be free until we have secured a better life for all women. I thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Chairperson of the NCOP, hon Ministers, Deputy Ministers and hon members, the SA Local Government Association, Salga, is very honoured and pleased to participate in this debate held on International Women's Day. The timing of this debate is of particular significance as we are approaching and preparing for the next local government elections to be held in May this year. It therefore becomes imperative that we take stock and reflect on the past in order to adequately plan for the future.
Hon members, we are all aware that, given the constitutional imperative of gender equality and nondiscrimination, the South African government has put in place clear targets to enable the advancement of women in political and decision-making positions. We are also aware that, as a country, we have made substantial progress in increasing the number of women in political office, including representation in local government structures. However, it is also true that many challenges still remain that limit the realisation of an enabling environment that promotes full and effective participation of women in decision-making, policy-making and service delivery.
A nonsexist society is one in which there is no discrimination in any form on the basis of gender. We are therefore seeking to ensure that all members of society are afforded opportunities, particularly equal access to education, training, facilities and resources, with no regard to gender. This means that policies and practices within government in relation to citizens must be appropriate to meet the needs of both males and females within communities.
In recent years, a number of studies have suggested that the gender machinery established at a national level, primarily due to the difficulty translating concepts of gender into practical and tangible approaches, has not found adequate expression at the local government level. Salga has prioritised mainstreaming of gender in local government for close to 10 years now. We have worked to ensure equity of gender representation and integrating gender into the various layers of local government's functioning and practice.
The Salga 50/50 campaign was launched in August 2005. It is clear that the campaign was successful in taking up the issue of women's representation. The number of women councillors increased from 29% to 42%.
However, the acknowledgement of the campaign has not led to concrete gains for ensuring women's participation beyond the goodwill of political election lists and statements from different leaders. The Local Government: Municipal Structures Act of 1998, for example, encourages but does not oblige political parties to field equal numbers of women and men candidates. Some parties are vehemently opposed to quotas on the grounds that they violate free choice. They do, however, admit that a quota system does have a snowball effect on their own practices.
As we go into the next local government elections, Salga has continued to advocate for parity in representation. This campaign was approved at the 2010 national members assembly held in Kimberley and launched later, at the 2010 Women in Local Government Summit. The aim of the campaign is to concretely address the issue of women's underrepresentation in political decision-making and to confront the structural and cultural barriers that impede women's access to decision-making and leadership positions. Central to the campaign is ensuring both equal gender representation and meaningful participation of women in local governance.
Salga also maintains that equity of representation should be enshrined in our legislation, notably that amendments be made to the Electoral Act, Act 73 of 1998, the Local Government: Municipal Electoral Act, Act 27 of 2000 and the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, Act 117 of 1998. The proposed amendments speak to the inclusion of specific gender clauses and recommendations that equal numbers of women are included on party lists. They also propose penalties and the sanction of the Electoral Court where this has not been done.
Legislation mandating 50/50 gender representation in all decision-making positions is long overdue in South Africa. Not only is such legislation necessary but it is mandated by South Africa's own equality legislation and numerous international obligations.
From a constitutional perspective, the founding provisions provide foundational values: dignity, equality and nonsexism. Section 9 states, "Everyone is equal before the law and has the right to equal protection and benefit of the law". Equality includes the full and equal enjoyment of all rights and freedom. To promote the achievement of equality, legislative and other measures designed to protect or advance persons or categories of persons disadvantaged by unfair discrimination may be taken.
As a way of creating a mechanism to co-ordinate and give voice to issues of gender in local government, we launched the Salga Women's Commission in November 2010. The establishment of the women's commission for Salga derives from a United Cities and Local Governments of Africa, UCLGA, initiative aimed at strengthening gender equality within African local governments.
The Salga Women's Commission will be the voice of women in local government and it will ensure that appropriate planning and implementation of gender mainstreaming, programmes and projects will take cognisance of the inclusion of science and technology in its activities at national, provincial, local, district and ward levels and that this is done in an integrated, consistent and sustainable manner. It is through the activities of the women's commission that we intend to create a strong foundation on which the stakeholder community can holistically mainstream gender into local government.
If the impact of local government's efforts in addressing issues of social and economic justice is to be enhanced, it must be remembered that gender inequality and the low status of women in society are among the principal drivers of poverty. Therefore, in tackling the issues of service delivery, equal access to education, training, science and technology are critical in building a pathway to decent work for women as a means to address specific challenges that relegate women to a subordinate status and impede their empowerment.
In conclusion, Salga acknowledges the rich contribution that women have made in developmental local government and are mindful of the fact that women in local government still face many challenges, especially in the Western Cape. Salga will be required to play a central role in guiding the gender policy direction at the local level as we move forward towards consolidating the gains and the lessons learned over the past 10 years. It is important to emphasise that gender parity needs to transcend numerical equality. It needs to incorporate resources and space needs to be created for both genders to participate meaningfully in decision-making. I thank you. [Applause.]
Ms M M NTULI (KwaZulu-Natal): Chairperson, hon Chairperson of the NCOP in absentia, Ministers and Deputy Ministers present, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, International Women's Day is a magnificent mark for women from all walks of life globally. It is an honour for me to stand before you on behalf of the KwaZulu-Natal legislature.
This celebration existed way back, since before 1994, but in a different shape. We would celebrate it feeling restless, shaking and expecting a bad cloud to pass over us, but today it is transformed. We are free; we have the right to speak. We thank those who laid down their lives for our freedom, particularly women. Their pictures were once on the walls of this Parliament and the list is long.
The first postdemocratic government defines double freedom to those who were triple oppressed. It spells out the rights and dignity of all women, unlike the apartheid regime in our country. Indeed, we should move forward but history remains.
Namhlanje sesikhuluma ngabantu besifazane asebekwazile ukuthatha igxathiu eliya phambili. Bakwazile ukuzithuthukisa bakhombisa umhlaba wonke amakhono anhlobonhlobo abanawo. Phela nangokwemfundo bona babehleli emuva kodwa namhlanje izibalo zikhomba izinga lokwenyuka ngesivinini esikhulu. Bakhombisile ukukhula kwezepolitiki, emnothweni nasemphakathini jikelele.
Siyavuma ukuthi ziningi izinselelo esisabhekene nazo kodwa uhulumeni we-ANC uyisibani esikhanyayo ekuqhakambiseni izindaba zabantu besifazane. Sibonge kuMongameli uMsholozi ngoNgqongqoshe obhekene ngqo nezindaba zabantu besifazane, uNgqongqoshe u-L Xingwana. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[Today we talk of women who have taken a step forward. They have been able to develop themselves and have showed the whole world the different talents they possess. Even in education, women were lagging behind, but today statistics show an accelerated rise. They have shown maturity in politics, in the economy, in the community and in the general public.
We agree that there are many challenges that we are still facing but the ANC-led government is a light in promoting women's issues. We thank President Msholozi and the Minister who specifically looks at women's issues, Minister L Xingwana.]
Our province took a clear position on increasing women in leadership and decision-making bodies because the best investment you can make and the highest return you can obtain is to invest in women. They work hard, building their future and pushing the patriarchal boundaries.
The entrepreneurship programme in our province is working to improve women's economic security, which contributes to economic growth, poverty eradication and achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Yesterday we had the provincial budget speech by one of our powerful women on International Women's Day. The budget seeks to respond to the President of our country's call to create more jobs. We believe that women are going to benefit from it and get decent jobs.
Uma sibuka ukumeleleka kwabesifazane emikhakheni eyahlukahlukene, izibalo zikhomba ukuthi njengesifundazwe saKwaZulu-Natali sesidlulile kumaphesenti angama-30 kodwa luselude ukhalo ukuze sifinyelele kumaphesenti angama-50. Nokho, sesikhona isibonelo kuwisiShayamthetho uqobo, uma sibheka inani labesifazane bezinhlangano zonke, kusenofa, "i-crack" ngenxa yokuthi udaba luka-50/50 lweza ne-ANC kuphela abanye azange balugqize qakala.
Uma ubheka inani loNgqongqoshe bezifundazwe savuka namaphesenti angama-50, kuBbaPphathi bemMiNnyango, HODs, nokho sesidlulile kumaphesenti angama-50 kodwa kwazona lezi zibalo zisagcizelela ukuthi awatholakale amakhono. Senyuke siye phezulu. Sikhuthaza labo abakulawa mazinga ukuthi bangami, bathuthuke ukuze basabalale.
Uma nje sikhuluma ngamakhono ayimvela kancane abesifazane basacathula kwazise phela iSayensi noBuchwepheshe bebeyilandela ngemuva. Kwazise phela umuntu wesifazane kuqala ubekhethelwa ukuthi abe nguthisha noma unesi kwaphela nje. Nakuba izibalo ziphansi kodwa sesinabo onjiniyela emikhakheni ehlukahlukene. Nasezibhedlela siyababona besebenza ngemishini enhlobonhlobo, nasezikhungweni zemfundo sinabo komatematiki bayimithonselana. Ngaphandle kokuthi nje isifundazwe sethu kumakhono ayimvela kancane sisathekela kwamanye amazwe ngisho nakoDokotela abangongoti, kodwa lapha ezikhundleni sinabo abaphathi bamakolishi, othishanhloko, abaPhathi beMinyango,HODs; hhayi kokunye-ke bandla sisacathula. IKwaZulu-Natali ngenye yezifundazwe ezihambe phambili ukukhipha uKhomishana wezokuPhepha jikelele okusho ukuthi udaba lwabesifazane ezikhundleni kulo mkhakha bayazama impela. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[If we look at women's representation in the different sectors, statistics show that as the province of KwaZulu-Natal we have exceeded 30%, but we still have to do more to reach 50%. There is, however, an example in the legislature, where there is still a challenge as the issue of 50/50 parity was proposed by the ANC, but the other parties' organisations don't care about it.
If you look at the representation of Ministers, we have reached 50%, and the number of heads of department, HODs, has exceeded 50%, but even these statistics emphasise that we need to identify more skills. We must get more. We encourage the ones at these levels not to stop, but to further develop so that it can be spread wider.
If we speak of scarce skills, women are still lagging behind because they have not been at the forefront of science and technology. In the past women could either be a teacher or a nurse. Although the numbers are still low, we do have engineers in different fields. Even at hospitals we see them using the different machinery, and in educational institutions we have a few of them in the field of maths. Despite this, in our province we are still relying heavily on foreign countries for scarce skills, especially doctors. We do however have women in management positions in colleges, as principals and HODs. In other fields we are still lagging far behind.
KwaZulu-Natal is one of the provinces that was leading in supporting the appointment of the National Police Commissioner, which means in terms of positions for women in this department, they are trying their best.]
In our province women are the main role-players in the provincial flagship programme, which forms part of the provincial strategy to address socio- economic issues, with a specific focus on poverty eradication. The flagship programme rests on three pillars: the food security and emerging farmer programme; the healthy and sustainable communities programme, and the empowerment of youth and women programme.
Women have embarked on an agricultural programme, given that our province is predominantly rural. They train in co-ops and consortiums. They are seen in commercial farming as well. Thus agriculture is playing a meaningful role in changing their lives. The Premier of KwaZulu-Natal is leading the campaign of "one home, one garden" and this has assisted in the revival of people taking farming seriously and bettering their lives in this regard.
Markets have been identified and therefore women are slowly moving away from a hand-to-mouth situation. Again women contribute in many ways to the economy of the province.
In conclusion, women have achieved a lot yet the journey forward is still long. Women have realised that decent jobs do not mean employment only - although that goes a long way. When united in action, together we can do more. Hon Chairperson, this is a synopsis and a reflection of women in KwaZulu-Natal. I thank you. [Applause.]
Thank you. I have been informed that we are joined today by women from Gugulethu and surrounding areas. We welcome you here.
Chairperson, I would also like to greet the women in the gallery up there and say: Malibongwe, igama lamakhosikazi! [Let it be praised! Praise the name of women!]
As my hon leaders have said, this year is very important for us because it gives us an opportunity to reflect on what has been achieved over 100 years and ask, how far have we come? What has been achieved and what are the outstanding challenges? As my colleagues have said, the theme "Equal access to education, training and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women" is fitting. I think there can be no better theme to use as you try to get a handle on the progress made regarding gender equality and women empowerment.
I just want to share the seriousness of this day worldwide by saying that US President Barack Obama officially declared the entire month of March as women's history month. The intention was to focus on the contribution of women to the history of humankind and to assess their challenges in the 21st century.
The government of South Africa has given the moral and political high ground to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. As a result, our women were represented in Beijing, where a platform for action was developed in 1995. The President of the ANC Women's League might find me lacking when I attribute this to the government of South Africa, but I think I should also mention the important role of the ruling party in all this.
Today we are affiliated to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. South Africa is a signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, Cedaw. We have institutionalised the gender-mainstreaming machinery, with a Ministry at the head of this responsibility. We welcome our Minister. I'm sure this is the first International Women's Day when we have Minister Xingwana leading us on this topic. [Applause].
The African Union shares the same principle of 50/50 representation, as other members have said when they were debating. I must say, having attended the 55th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, held at the United Nations in New York last week, I came back with the general feeling that we have to do what hon Mokgoro has said. We have to re- energise and again show the political will to stand up on issues of gender equality and women's emancipation.
The establishment of UN Women, which has been referred to, is a very important step taken by the UN after so many years of existence and ahead of the transformation that has long been called for within the UN. The question for us as women is: How are we going to consolidate our efforts in such a way that we benefit from its existence?
I just want to add to what my colleagues have said - I think it was nicely put by the hon member from Cope - that the issues of women and girls are a worldwide concern. There are commonalities in the struggles that women have gone through across the globe. Women have struggled for their emancipation from oppression and marginalisation, meaning the social ills emanating from patriarchy. The women of South Africa, for instance, fought side by side with their male counterparts against colonisation and apartheid. That's the women of the ANC. As far back as 1913, they articulated the concerns of women, specifically the importance of mobilising women and the promotion of unity as a prerequisite for their struggles.
If time allows, I would like to emphasise, hon Minister of Basic Education and the President of the ANC Women's League, that you would be found lacking if you did not pick up on this strength of the ability to mobilise women and show that we all have a common understanding of the importance and the significance of gender issues. I mean, we wouldn't have hon members like the hon Van Lingen completely missing the point if we had mobilised successfully.
Women of South Africa have had to fight for land rights, oppose rising food prices and reject instruments of oppression and exclusion, like the apartheid pass laws. I just want to mention a few women I know very well that didn't struggle as individuals, but represented certain issues. I would like to start off with our Charlotte Maxeke, who was never frustrated or discouraged by the limitations imposed upon her by the apartheid government. She was the first South African woman to earn a Bachelor of Science degree. When you follow her history, you find that she was also an artist.
At one time - as was the case with other African women who went to other countries but, once their mission was finished, were dumped somewhere - papers reported on women artists who were singing in the US but were left stranded. One of the universities grabbed Charlotte Maxeke and she acquired a Bachelor of Science degree. What is important is that, as a committed activist, she started corresponding with her priest here at home and told him that she had an opportunity and was seeing more opportunities in the future. Out of that correspondence, she founded the Wilberforce Institute, which later became one of the leading Transvaal high schools for Africans.
In 1930, she made a powerful address at the University of Fort Hare, which is still relevant today. She said:
If you definitely and earnestly set out to lift women and children up in the social life of the Bantu, you will find the men will benefit, and thus the whole community, both white and black.
So, she strived for unity even during the worst years of our racially divided country. The University of the Free State, in introducing the Free State Charlotte Maxeke Annual Memorial Lecture series, suggested, "Her most profound legacy is her enormous contribution to women's empowerment in the home and in society at large."
That was an act of courage - for a woman to struggle and end up starting a church, the African Methodist Episcopal, AME, which today has numerous members.
I want to mention another woman, Wangari Muta Maathai, a Kenyan environmental and political activist. In the 1970s, she founded the Green Belt Movement, an environmental nongovernmental organisation focusing on the planting of trees, environmental conservation and women's rights. Her project was opposed by the Kenyan government and her demonstrations to protect the forest were often met with violent resistance, which eventually led to her imprisonment.
She said, that the government ... "thinks that by threatening me and bashing me, they can silence me, but I have an elephant's skin. And somebody must raise the voice." She was calling for democracy rather than repression. In 2004, she became the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace.
Another giant among woman is Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, popularly known as "the iron lady", the first elected female president in Africa. Her road to the top was marred by hostility from the then president, Samuel Doe. In her attempts to provide proper leadership and literacy, she endured exile, house arrest and imprisonment, but she never gave in to the system.
Today, as the president of Liberia, she is a role model to all women. We must learn from her continued determination, strength and persistence, as these elements are key to tackling the struggles of today. After taking over, she established a truth and reconciliation commission, enforced the culture of human rights, promoted the principles and values of democracy, and strengthened the rule of law. Her leadership has given confidence to investors and tourists. She took over from a dictatorship, but she has managed to quickly bring back the values of democracy.
Mary Robinson, another powerful woman, was the first commissioner to the UN and female president in Ireland. Her outstanding service to women comprised her campaigns on a wide range of liberal issues, including the rights of women to sit on juries, the then requirement that all women, upon marriage, resign from the civil service, and so on.
Rosa Parks became popular after she defied a bus driver who wanted her to go and sit at the back and vacate her seat for a white person.
I mention all these women because they point out how far women have come and that the kinds of issues that were relevant then are still relevant today, in some instances.
There are, of course, outstanding challenges, like the question of poverty. When we were at the UN, as mentioned, poverty was elevated. I think it is because next year's theme is focusing especially on rural woman. I'm not going to give those details now. Gender-based violence is another issue that remains a challenge, as is the question of women in war-torn countries.
Coming to education, it is important to say that we are coming up with the skills pipeline. I hope our women, such as those of you sitting up there, will join hands with us as we empower women through skills development. We are starting with an industrial park and making sure that people who left school many years ago as mothers and young women also benefit from that. This will also help them to encourage children. The Minister of Basic Education has so often emphasised the role of the family and the community at large in education.
A lot of money has been put into our further education and training, FET, colleges. But it is not money that is going to do the trick. It is indeed my wish and hope that as an outcome of this debate we come up with a clear proposal on how women could be fast-tracked within the skills development pipeline in order to become key players in economy-generating projects. I thank you. [Applause].
Thank you, hon Chairperson. Malibongwe! [Let it be praised!]
HON MEMBERS: Igama lamakhosikazi! [The name of women!]
I'd like to address hon Minister Motshekga and say that we should actually say, "Wathint' abafazi, wathint' imbokodo" [When you strike a woman, you strike a rock]! I think we should actually be complementing one another, assisting one another and making a difference in South Africa.
Indeed, it is an honour for me to be part of this debate today to celebrate the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day. Let us celebrate women in South Africa and the world. We are 15 years into our democracy and we still have women who do not have access to basic education systems. I would like to quote our former President, Nelson Mandela, when he said, "Freedom cannot be achieved unless women have been emancipated from all forms of oppression."
Women make great leaders. Just look around this august House and you will see many great women leaders. Today I would like to honour and remember great women who have made a difference in South Africa, such as three important Helens: Helen Suzman, an MP and the only female parliamentarian for six years, who challenged discriminatory legislation that was introduced by the apartheid regime, and Helen Joseph, an anti-apartheid activist. May their souls rest in peace. Then, of course, may I take this opportunity to wish the Premier of the Western Cape, Helen Zille, a blessed and happy birthday. Halala, Helen, halala!
I would also like to honour Helen, our premier, for her role as an anti- apartheid activist during the 1980s, and one who is still fighting for the rights of the people today.
Sophia Williams-De Bruyn, more fondly known to me as Aunty Sophie, is a living legend and the only survivor of the historic women's march that took place in Pretoria against the pass laws. Aunty Sophie is alive and well and is an MP today in the National Assembly.
She is in the ANC!
Yes, she belongs to the ANC, but she is a woman.
Equal access to education is important for our women in South Africa. As women of Parliament, we need to make it our business to start a network of women in our communities to educate and train our fellow women in our constituencies. We need to be the leaders of such training and development programmes to empower our sisters of all ages in our communities.
Teenage pregnancies in our schools are a great concern because the relationship between academic failure and teenage pregnancy is very strong and it affects the educational achievements of teenage mothers and their children. It is important to complete your secondary school education and, if possible, achieve postsecondary education in order to have a well-paying job.
As women in South Africa, we should be concerned about educating our youth on the prevention of pregnancy while still at school. The moral regeneration programme should be revived and linked to teen pregnancies in our schools. Maybe the boy-child responsible for impregnating the girl- child should be treated the same as the girl-child when she has to go on a leave of absence. Research has shown that children of teen mothers do not perform as well as those of mature mothers. We need to encourage no pregnancies at school. In conclusion, on a lighter note, I would like to quote Joseph Conrad, who said, "Being a woman is a terribly difficult task, since it consists principally in dealing with men." Wa thint' abafazi wa thint' imbokodo! [When you strike a woman, you strike a rock.] [Applause.]
Ke a leboga, Modulasetilo, Maloko a Palamente ... [Thank you, Chairperson, Members of Parliament ...]
... it is really an honour for me to take part in this important debate of today under the theme "Equal access to education, training, science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women". Over the past 150 years, progress in science and technology has been a key driver of women's and societal development, vastly expanding the horizons of women's potential and enabling radical transformation in the quality of life enjoyed by millions of people.
Celebrating the centenary of International Women's Day will therefore not be complete without giving some thought to the role women play in science and technology, particularly the role in our own continent. Development is an enterprise that demands the efforts of both women and men working together to construct a social order characterised by justice, equity and collective prosperity. The systems of education, science and technology must then be arranged in a way that reflects both the material and spiritual dimensions of human beings, permitting each person to play his or her rightful role in the betterment of society.
Women in Africa have traditionally been excluded from the external information technology sphere, both deliberately and because of factors working to their disadvantage, such as the lack of freedom of movement or low levels of education.
Information and communication technology opened up a direct window for women to the outside world, with information flowing to them without any distortion or censoring. This led to a broadening of perspectives, greater understanding of their current situation and the causes of poverty, and the initiation of interactive processes to overcome their status.
When the 191 United Nations member states agreed to adopt the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, 11 years ago, all the signatories might not have been aware of the importance of gender, but over the past years it has become increasingly clear that, at their core, the MDGs are about improving the condition of women throughout the developing world.
However, if the problems highlighted in the MDGs are to be overcome, science and technology need to be seriously considered. Mobilising science and technology would play a pivotal part in the achievement of targets set by the MDGs and the 2010 - African Women's Decade, because advances in science and technology allow society to mobilise new sources of energy and materials, fight disease, produce crops, assemble and disseminate information and transport people and goods with greater speed and safety. The empowerment of women in the context of scientific and technological knowledge entails building up the abilities and skills of women to gain insight into issues affecting them and also building their capacity to voice their concerns. It entails developing the capacities of women to overcome social and institutional barriers and strengthen their participation in the economic and political processes, so as to produce an overall improvement in their quality of life.
The objective of the 2010 - 2012 African Women's Decade launched in October 2010 is to reinvigorate commitments to the accelerated implementation of agreed global and regional commitments on gender equality and women's empowerment. It is truly encouraging that out of the 10 themes, a special focus will be on education, science and technology, to achieve parity in education at secondary and tertiary levels and higher retention rates for girls, with increased literacy levels of women through adult education, while promoting the contribution of women scientists.
In this regard, South Africa sets an admirable example to the rest of Africa with the SA Women in Science Awards, hosted by the Department of Science and Technology since 2003 as part of government's efforts to recognise and create incentives for women scientists and researchers in the country and to profile successful women scientists whose distinguished achievements in research and innovation are an inspiration to the nation, particularly to young women and girls.
In August 2009, the hon Naledi Pandor, Minister of Science and Technology, publicised results on the role of women in the fields of science and technology in the country indicating that, although women make up only 33% of publishing scientists in the country, their numbers have increased in recent years and that trends showed an increased enrolment of women in higher education when compared to a similar study five years earlier. Women are advancing against men in the science fields, particularly engineering, agricultural studies and biology.
However, she also highlighted problems preventing women, and specifically black women, from increased participation in science, including financial difficulties before and during tertiary studies, gender stereotyping, legacies of disadvantage in black communities, negative dynamics at workplaces, and the lack of attention to women's specific needs.
In September 2010, five outstanding African women scientists were honoured when they received prizes at a Women Scientist Regional Award ceremony held at the African Union in Addis Ababa. The women were celebrated for their work in two fields of science, namely life and earth science, and basic sciences, technology and innovation.
Society at large must be made aware of the consequences of science and technology in the everyday lives of women and measures should be adopted to eliminate obstacles that women come up against when embarking on a career in scientific studies. Intolerance must be combated, programmes for continuing training enabling women to renew their professional skills must be offered, training programmes on equal opportunities should be set up, and principles of parity in all policy decisions and in the strategic choices of politicians, managers and administrators need to be developed.
It is increasingly clear that achieving the ambitious targets underlying the 2010 - 2020 African Women's Decade remains closely linked to raising the living conditions of millions of African women. As mothers, primary caregivers, scientists, leaders and housewives, women in Africa play a role in society that cannot be underestimated. Improving the quality of life is a moral imperative that cannot be escaped.
In conclusion, for girls and women living in poverty, education is not only the key to a brighter future, but also a key to survival. You educate a woman, you educate a nation. Thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Chairperson, hon members, Ministers and Deputy Ministers present, the Chairperson of the NCOP, ladies and gentlemen, to honour International Women's Day is not just to pay lip service to its meaning nor is it just a symbolic gesture to accord or comply with the dictates of the calendar for this year. This day was a day conceived by the concerted effort of the gender perceived to be designed only for reproduction and child bearing. Women all over the world suffer the great injustice of being excluded from a social system of which, paradoxically, they are an intrinsic part in terms of caring, loving and supporting the very person who deems them inferior and equivalent to a child.
Our culture, institutions and norms have sought to devalue and reduce women's roles to the house and in particular to the kitchen. But women have emphatically refused to be consigned to these roles. They have constantly debunked the myth that women are incapable and are the weaker sex. They have shown that they can nurture and love unconditionally, raised families when men went to war and welcomed them back from the war, whether defeated or victorious. Their support has been unwavering, their loyalty blind, and their faith in "the other" unshakable.
They constitute more than 50% of the world's population, yet endure the greatest oppression and suffer disproportionately at the hands of ignorant men who do not understand them and take that ignorance as a justification to abuse and objectify them. Evelyn Cunningham once said, and I quote, "Women are the only oppressed group in our society that lives in intimate association with their oppressors".
In line with the theme of 2011 for International Women's Day, which is "Equal access to education, training, and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women", we have to say that equality in education, training and science and technology is not merely about quotas and satisfying the labour laws of our republic. It is to provide transformational and meaningful change to the lives of young women who are subjected every day to rape, discrimination, arranged marriages, sexism and other indignities that we have fought and must continue to fight against.
We have to reaffirm our solidarity as women to say that we shall never condone primitive thinking prevailing against common sense. We have to say, in an emphatic and categorical tone, that we will not allow men to infect us with sexually transmitted diseases, STDs, HIV and Aids, and other forms of disease, then turn around and blame us for their own indiscretions. We will say: "Even though I trust and love you, when you were away from home on the mines, I was not with you the entire time. It is therefore incumbent upon me, and morally non-negotiable, to protect my body. Let us go to the nearest clinic to have our statuses checked."
We have to be empowered to fight this social prejudice. We cannot be objectified as sushi platters, because we are more than that. We have to say, in line with the theme of International Women's Day, that we are equally capable of being doctors, engineers, scientists, chief executive officers, CEOs, and presidents.
Our government, under the vision of the ANC, has put in place progressive policies to empower the previously marginalised, particularly women, children and the youth. We know that in government these policies are being adhered to, but the private sector is lagging behind dismally in this regard. We must use this very institution to ask: How do we put good carrot- and-stick policy approaches in place to accelerate gender transformation? We are close to accomplishing gender parity in government, but why are we failing in the private sector? These are fundamental, pragmatic policy questions that we ought to ask ourselves and all stakeholders as we reflect on the significance of this day.
International Women's Day should not just be a footnote in our historical memories but a day of reckoning; a day that says, "It was not inevitable that today I would be here, celebrating this day with you."
Women like Clara Zetkin, Winnie Mandela, Graa Machel, Oprah Winfrey, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Albertina Sisulu and others deemed it fit to challenge conventional wisdom. We owe them a great debt of gratitude and we should never abandon the cause. They should loom large in our memories. Our heroines in our continent should be accorded that special space in the history books.
Then there are our unsung heroes. These are grandmothers, mothers, sisters and daughters who, on a daily basis, are moving humanity to that final state of understanding. They are selfless, compassionate, supportive and loving. They wake up in the morning to provide for their families and come back and cook for them.
Bangwe ba bona ke bathusi ba ba re direlang. [Some of them are the helpers that we have hired.]
They are our caregivers, but sometimes we are so ignorant of them, as if they were invisible. They only become visible when they do not comply with their duties. For instance, we would say to them, "Did you iron my dress correctly?", "Did you clean my house impeccably?" and "What did the kids eat?" But we don't take the time to connect with them, ask them about their dreams and what they wanted to be when they grew up. Sometimes, as women, we can be inadvertently complicit in these crimes against humanity by not taking a firm stance against what we see in our own households when one of us is being subjected to unfair treatment. We see her as "the other" mme o o ntirelang [lady who works for me], not as a woman or a mother. We forget how easily that other person could have been you. Let us tell them that they are not alone.
We have come a long way. Sometimes the end of the tunnel cannot be seen but we have to soldier on. We have to keep on climbing until we reach the summit of equality, tranquillity, modernity and humanity of the 21st century.
Our policies and education system should celebrate these extraordinary trendsetters, where they come from, their upbringing, philosophy and, ultimately, their humanity. These qualities and this background are important, transcending the insurmountable challenges often erected by men's thinking, which is devoid of reality and the truth.
The African woman is the continent's face of hope, strength and opportunity. The road to achieving the Millennium Development Goals in Africa, as alluded to by my colleague, can be built only through a gender- inclusive agenda, unleashing the productive power of women. The agenda should advance women's education and access to information.
In conclusion, Madeleine Albright once said that a woman who did not help another woman had a special place in hell. Let us know the enemy because we live in close proximity with it. A luta continua! Thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Chief Whip, perhaps this is your maiden speech, given that you came here from a sick bed. You are welcome! Can you conclude the debate?
Chairperson, I want to start off by saying that, when we speak of equal opportunities, whoever said that should be careful because she belongs to a party that is antipoor and has no plan to eradicate poverty. When we speak of equal opportunities we must also make sure that the playing ground is level enough, so that if you have 50%, I must also have 50% and we can compete fairly. So I don't understand how, if you have been in the market while I have never been there, you want to compete with me "fairly" and you call that a fair, open society and equal opportunity. [Interjections.] But let us wait for the Budget Vote debate, and then we will engage more on this issue.
I must also remind the hon member that when she speaks about those issues, we from the ANC, particularly the ANC Women's League, want to note that this year we will be celebrating the 55th year of the ANC Women's League. So, she had better be careful with regard to her facts.
I also want the House to note something that has never happened before. In this debate, three officials from the ANC Women's League were participating - its president, deputy president and the treasurer. [Applause.] So, to us this is serious. We don't want to do cheap politicking, as others are doing.
We really pay tribute to the selfless efforts of many women across the globe who remain champions of the tireless fight for advancing the lives of women. In particular I want to pay homage to the heroines of our nation and the African continent who remain steadfast in fighting for respect, and the rights and dignity of women.
As has been said, this day originated at a conference held in Copenhagen in 1910, where the call for the observance of an international women's day in recognition of the struggle of women for socioeconomic rights and emancipation from patriarchy was enthusiastically endorsed. The recognition of this day by the international community and leaders was an unequivocal recognition of the important role played by women in societies across the globe. It was indeed the culmination of tireless working women across the world conducting a fearless and highly organised struggle to have their rights as women and working-class women recognised. So, when you speak but you don't know what it is to suffer, or you simply say that just because today it is easier to say that, please be careful. Don't play with our sensitivities.
The concept of celebrating a decade of women took root in 1975 at the first World Conference on Women in Mexico. In acknowledgement of the African continent's efforts regarding women's empowerment, the AU declared the years 2010 - 2020 the African Women's Decade. This pronouncement presents an opportunity for countries and civil society within Africa to address the political, social and economic challenges facing women. It gives rise to the need for greater implementation of gender-sensitive policies during this decade and a strategy that calls for appropriate measures to be taken in order to bring about profound social and economic changes for women.
As the ANC and women of Africa, we call on those countries, particularly in our region - the SADC region - where there is still no democracy and women have no role to play to make sure that the winds of change move to those countries.
At the launching of the African Women's Decade in Nairobi last year, the Kenyan President, Mwai Kibaki, said, "We have learnt that education holds the key to unlocking obstacles to women's empowerment."
With the encouragement of the AU, women's groups across the African continent will be coming together to lobby, learn leadership and conflict negotiating skills, draw strength and support each other in creating a better life for themselves and their families.
I want to say that South Africa sets a good example. We have done something very good. We even top the other women of this continent. Consider the history of the Maasai women - this was also on TV this morning. The Maasai women say they can now work better and are more liberated now. They can read and write and bank their own money, something that was not possible before. At least South Africa is leading Africa. [Applause.]
I also want to say that South Africa is host to the Pan-African Women's Organisation, Pawo. For those of you who do not know what that is, it is a continental body for the women of Africa and it has no colour or race. I note this, Chair, because sometimes when we speak of Africans some people always think we refer to black people. Africa is a continent with many races. We need to strengthen Pawo as a continental body of women through our participation. We are an affiliated country. Some people do not even know these things, which is why they speak of equal opportunities, meaning only one province, of course.
However, there is still a deeply rooted resistance on the part of conservative elements in society, who are responsible for discriminatory practices against change. We are aware that women's reproductive and productive roles are closely linked to the political, economic, social, cultural, legal, educational and religious conditions that constrain the advancement of women. And that factor is intensifying the economic exploitation, marginalisation and oppression of women. It stems from chronic inequalities, injustice and exploitative conditions at the family, community, national, subregional, regional and international levels. I do not want to repeat what hon Kasienyane has just said.
The contribution of African women to the continent's liberation struggle often remains in the shadows of history, even though women played a central role in those national liberation struggles. As I have just said, if one looks at the role played by Pawo, which was formed even before the OAU, you find that no one speaks about Pawo but only about the AU and other continental bodies. Women's sacrifices and contributions during the struggle for liberation do not necessarily translate into formal positions of power in postcolonial Africa. Low levels of education, feminine poverty and patriarchal notions of politics being a man's domain all conspire to lock women out of political office.
Women's leadership abilities at community level must be given the opportunity to translate to the national stage. In order to strengthen women's educational and economic status, governments must address deeply entrenched gender biases in educational systems and increase women's access to land, credit and other areas.
We have also touched on issues of globalisation - I think my president spoke about that. I want to add a few things. Globalisation has played a major role in further undermining gender equality. It has intensified the existing inequalities and insecurities for many poor women, who already represent two thirds of the world's poorest people.
As we enter this decade of African women, civil society and the governments of this continent must dedicate themselves in word and deed to the support of initiatives meant to bolster the status of African women in social, economic and political life.
In conclusion, the ANC recognises the tremendous strides made over the past 100 years, as evidenced by the role that women now play in the state, economy and other sectors. We will continue to play a leading role in bringing about the full emancipation of women.
Lastly, may I take this opportunity to invite all women, Ministers included, and of course our guests, to a lunch in the Assembly dining hall. [Interjections.] This is not a sexist practice. We need to educate and engage with those among us who are still in darkness, like that hon member. Thank you. [Laughter.] [Applause.]
Thank you, hon Chief Whip. I thought the debate was about inculcating a spirit within us to ensure that we mobilise male comrades to be part and parcel of these processes.
Debate concluded.
Business suspended at 13:01 and resumed at 14:01.
Afternoon Sitting